The European Union (EU) has granted nearly 600 million euros (762 million U.S. dollars) to Nigeria and other member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to facilitate regional growth and economic stability.
Giving a rundown on the EU activities in the country for 2008 in Nigeria's capital Abuja on Friday, Charge d' Affairs in Nigeria Denis Thieulin also disclosed that the EU wished to continue its political dialogues with Nigeria, the Guardian reported on Saturday.
He said the EU had started a new wave of Micro-Projects Program9 (MPP9) in nine states of the country, following the successes recorded in the previous MPP3 and MPP6 program in the Niger Delta States.
No less than 70 percent of the amount is meant for deepening regional integration, as well as improving the competitiveness of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), while 20 percent is for the consolidation of good governance and regional stability. The remaining 10 percent has been earmarked for "other programs."
He said 2,500 projects had been completed in Nigeria by the EU within the past five years.
"With the MPP3 and MPP6 we worked with the communities, the plan with the MPP9 is to involve the local government councils andthe state governments," he said. "Corruption is a major concern for us and so we support all the efforts against it. Our next plan is to see to which extent we can still be supporting the drive."
On the difference between the MPP3 and 6 and the new project, the MPP9, he said, "We are continuing what we started. We are continuing our activities. But we plan to change the implementation phase of it."
He also said that the EU delegation in Nigeria was studying the Jos disturbances.
Source: Xinhua
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